Thursday, October 18, 2007

15 virtual worlds currently in development

Following on from my previous round-up of 50 virtual worlds, below are fifteen virtual worlds currently in development.


Adventure Rock
bbc.co.uk/cbbc/adventurerock/
Larian Studios / BBC
Virtual world for children
ETA: Fall 2007

Flowplay
http://www.flowplay.com/
Flowplay
Casual gaming community
ETA: Fall 2007

Meet-Me
http://www.co-core.com/
Co-core
Virtual rendering of Tokyo
ETA: Fall 2007

Novoking
http://www.novoking.com/
Novoking
Chinese 3D avatar environment
ETA: Fall 2007

Pirates of the Caribbean Online
http://apps.pirates.go.com/pirates/
Disney
MMOG based on Disney IP
ETA: Fall 2007

Planet Cazmo
http://www.planetcazmo.com/
Pileated Pictures
Browser-based teen world
ETA: Fall 2007

Twinity
http://www.twinity.com/
Metaversum
Virtual/real life mashup
ETA: Fall 2007

Whirled
www.threerings.net/whirled/
Three Rings Design
Casual gaming community
ETA: Fall 2007

Zoodaloo
http://www.zoodaloo.com/
Zoodaloo
Virtual world for kids
ETA: Fall 2007

PlayStation Home
http://www.homebetatrial.com/
Sony
PlayStation virtual community
ETA: Spring 2008

Spore
http://www.spore.com/
Maxis / Electronic Arts
Will Wright's god game
ETA: Spring 2008

Uworld
http://www.uonenet.com/
UOneNet
Chinese virtual community
ETA: Spring 2008

Lego Universe
http://universe.lego.com/
NetDevil / Lego
MMOG utilising Lego IP
ETA: Fall 2008

Infinity: The Quest for Earth
http://www.fl-tw.com/Infinity/
Flavien Brebion
Space-based MMORPG
ETA: 2008

Adellion
http://www.adellion.com/
HonourBound Ltd.
Medieval MMORPG
ETA: Unknown

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Second Life in perspective: A round-up of 50 virtual worlds

If you relied solely on the mainstream media for your knowledge of online trends (more fool you), you'd be forgiven for thinking there was only one virtual world. Second Life has hoovered up huge swathes of column inches and airtime over the past 12 months (see earlier post on the Second Life media frenzy) with only the occasional nod to World of Warcraft or Habbo Hotel.

However, there's much more to virtual worlds than Second Life. Immersive online environments are a huge growth area, as demonstrated by the below round-up of 50 virtual worlds, ranked by approximate user numbers (with a few, for which I couldn't source viable user data, tacked on the end). It's worth stating that the approximate user figures are just that: approximate. Gleaned from a wide range of different sources, they are mostly self-reported and cover a multitude of differing definitions. I've tried to reconcile the figures wherever possible to try and reflect number of active users rather than number of avatars or visitors to the website, although many will still be way off base.

In terms of trends, the kids market appears to be a significant growth area and that's without including avatar chat sites (e.g. IMVU, Zwinktopia) or the growing legion of pet/doll sites (e.g. NeoPets, GoPets, MyePets, Be-Bratz, Stardoll).


World of Warcraft
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/
Blizzard Entertainment
Launched: 2004
Approximate no. of users: 9m

Habbo Hotel
http://www.habbo.com/
Sulake
Launched: 2000
Approximate no. of users: 7.5m

Nicktropolis
http://www.nick.com/nicktropolis/
Nickelodeon
Launched: 2007
Approximate no. of users: 5.1m

Runescape
http://www.runescape.com/
Jagex
Launched: 2001
Approximate no. of users: 5m

Club Penguin
http://www.clubpenguin.com/
New Horizon Interactive / Disney
Launched: 2005
Approximate no. of users: 4m

Knight Online
http://www.knightonlineworld.com/
MGame Corporation / Noah System
Launched: 2004
Approximate no. of users: 4m

Barbie Girls
http://www.barbiegirls.com/
Mattel
Launched: 2007
Approximate no. of users: 4m

Coke Studios
http://www.mycoke.com/
Studiocom / The Coca-Cola Company
Launched: 2002
Approximate no. of users: 4m

Gaia Online
http://www.gaiaonline.com/
Gaia Interactive
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: 3.5m

MapleStory
http://www.maplestory.com/
Wizet / Nexon
Launched: 1999
Approximate no. of users: 3m

Dofus
http://www.dofus.com/
Ankama Games
Launched: 2005
Approximate no. of users: 3m

Guild Wars
http://www.guildwars.com/
NCsoft
Launched: 2005
Approximate no. of users: 2m

Whyville
http://www.whyville.net/
Numedeon
Launched: 1999
Approximate no. of users: 1.7m

Second Life
http://secondlife.com/
Linden Lab
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: 1.5m

Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom
http://vmk.disney.go.com/
Sulake
Launched: 2005
Approximate no. of users: 1.4m

Disney's Toontown
http://play.toontown.com/
Disney
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: 1.2m

Mokitown
http://www.mobile-kids.net/
Neue Digitale / Daimler
Launched: 2001
Approximate no. of users: 1.1m

Lineage / Lineage II
http://www.lineage.com/
NCsoft
Launched: 1998
Approximate no. of users: 1m

There
http://www.there.com/
Makena Technologies
Launched: 1998
Approximate no. of users: 1m

BOTS
http://bots.acclaim.com/
Acclaim Games
Launched: 2006
Approximate no. of users: 1m

Webkinz World
http://www.webkinz.com/
Ganz
Launched: 2005
Approximate no. of users: 1m

AlphaWorld
http://www.activeworlds.com/
Active Worlds
Launched: 1997
Approximate no. of users: 900,000

Entropia Universe
http://www.entropiauniverse.com/
MindArk
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: 600,000

Virtual MTV
http://www.vmtv.com/
Makena Technologies
Launched: 2006
Approximate no. of users: 600,000

Virtual World of Kaneva
http://www.kaneva.com/
Kaneva
Launched: 2004
Approximate no. of users: 600,000

Final Fantasy XI: Online
http://www.playonline.com/ff11eu/
Square
Launched: 2002
Approximate no. of users: 500,000

EverQuest / EverQuest II
http://everquest.station.sony.com/
Sony Online Entertainment
Launched: 1999
Approximate no. of users: 500,000

Faketown
http://www.faketown.com/
Identity Play
Launched: 2001
Approximate no. of users: 500,000

Dubit
http://www.dubitchat.com/
Dubit
Launched: 2001
Approximate no. of users: 500,000

Cybertown
http://www.cybertown.com/
Integrated Virtual Networks
Launched: 1995
Approximate no. of users: 500,000

Playdo
http://beta.playdo.com/
Playdo
Launched: 2000
Approximate no. of users: 400,000

Eve Online
http://www.eve-online.com/
CCP Games
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: 200,000

Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates
http://www.puzzlepirates.com/
Three Rings Design / Ubisoft
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: 200,000

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
http://www.lotro.com/
Turbine, Inc.
Launched: 2007
Approximate no. of users: 200,000

Star Wars Galaxies
http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/
LucasArts
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: 200,000

City of Heroes / City of Villains
http://uk.cityofheroes.com/
Cryptic Studios / NCsoft
Launched: 2004
Approximate no. of users: 180,000

vSide
http://www.vside.com/
Doppelganger
Launched: 2007
Approximate no. of users: 150,000

Ultima Online
http://www.uo.com/
Electronic Arts
Launched: 1997
Approximate no. of users: 135,000

Dark Age of Camelot
http://www.darkageofcamelot.com/
Mythic Entertainment / Electronic Arts
Launched: 2001
Approximate no. of users: 125,000

The Sims Online
http://www.ea.com/official/thesims/thesimsonline/
Maxis / Electronic Arts
Launched: 2002
Approximate no. of users: 100,000

Xivio
http://www.xivio.com/
Xivio
Launched: 2006
Approximate no. of users: 22,000

citypixel
http://www.citypixel.com/
citypixel
Launched: 2006
Approximate no. of users: 20,000

Teen Second Life
http://teen.secondlife.com/
Linden Lab
Launched: 2005
Approximate no. of users: 5,000

Westward Journey II / Fantasy Westward Journey
http://corp.163.com/eng/games/westward_journey.html
NetEase
Launched: 2002 / 2004
Approximate no. of users: ??

Scions of Fate (Yulgang)
http://fate.netgame.com/
KRGsoft
Launched: 2006
Approximate no. of users: ??

Legend of Mir II / Legend of Mir III
http://www.legendofmir.net/
WeMade Entertainment / ActozSoft
Launched: 2001
Approximate no. of users: ??

MU Online
http://globalmuonline.com/
Webzen / K2 Network
Launched: 2003
Approximate no. of users: ??

HiPiHi
http://www.hipihi.com/index_english.html
HiPiHi
Launched: 2007
Approximate no. of users: ??

GalaXseeds
http://www.galaxseeds.com/
Frima Studios / Corus Entertainment
Launched: 2007
Approximate no. of users: ??

Virtual Ibiza
http://www.virtualibiza.com/
Lightmaker
Launched: 2002
Approximate no. of users: ??